Newcastle yesterday

It doesn't happen very often, but our trio of horses ran pretty much to expectations at Newcastle yesterday, and we hope some of you took the advice from Dodlandswise in the race preview to have a little each way on Baby Ticker (2nd at 33's).

Night Comes In was well beaten in the novices' hurdle but we were heartened to see him jumping well. After an atrocious round at Kelso couple of months ago, Callum has been schooling the gelding 3 or 4 times a week over our chase fences, and this clearly paid off. He should now get a handicap mark (published this week), and we can mark out a sequence of races to suit the 5yr old gelding, who is still quite backward in condition and maturity.

Side of the Road was beaten 12 lengths in her race which matches with our assessment as her being 10lb too high in the handicap. She jumped well and travelled nicely too till after 3 out but did not quicken when the leaders pressed on for home. At a modest level, she's progressing nicely though.

Baby Ticker was beaten just a neck - by a horse off an 11lb lower mark completing a hat-trick - in the 2 mile handicap hurdle. She's not the easiest to train - she has a few quirks to say the least - but possesses a lot of ability, and to go so close again after Paper Roses defeat by a similar margin at Carlisle was hard to take. She might run on Friday at Kelso, as she's clearly on a nice mark.

Baby Ticker

Later on this week

Look out for updates nearer the time, but we expect to run Eternally Yours in the bumper at Sedgefield on Boxing Day, then on Friday at Kelso we've entered Shades of Midnight, Paper Roses and, depending how she's come out of her race, Baby Ticker.

Otherwise, Happy Christmas from all at Dodlands.